09 March 2017
The Minister for External Relations, Senator Sir Philip Bailhache, was in Brussels on 8 March for a series of meetings to strengthen and develop Jersey’s relationships with EU partners, to exchange views with other third countries on the evolution of their relations with the EU, to provide an update on the Island’s preparations for Brexit, and to explain Jersey’s position as a transparent and well-regulated international finance centre.
The Minister met with: the Ambassador of New Zealand to the EU, Mr David Taylor; the Ambassador of Iceland to the EU, Mrs Bergdís Ellertsdóttir; the Deputy Ambassador of Switzerland to the EU, Mr Josef Renggli; the Head of the Mission of the Faroe Islands to the EU, Mrs Kate Sanderson; the Head of the Brittany Region Office in Brussels, Mrs Aude Körfer; and the Head of the Normandy Region Office in Brussels, Mrs Cécile Combette-Murin.
Senator Bailhache’s meetings in Brussels were organised by CIBO (Channel Islands Brussels Office) which was established in April 2011 to promote the interests of the Channel Islands in Europe and to advise the governments of Guernsey and Jersey on EU policy issues.
Senator Bailhache said “In light of the United Kingdom’s decision to leave the EU, it is critical that Jersey continues to develop productive relationships with the European Institutions, with the Member States of the European Union, and with nations like Switzerland, New Zealand, Iceland and the Faroes whose representatives I met on this visit, which are themselves developing their own relations with the EU. Through the permanent presence provided by CIBO, we are in a good position to demonstrate the ways in which the Channel Islands can be strong partner."
The Minister was in London on 9 March 2017 at the Commonwealth Trade Ministers Meeting; the inaugural assembly of trade ministers across the Commonwealth, organised by the Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council.
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